Submission: Chapter 3
by Zenith
Summary: The fleet groups and prepares for the jump to hyperspace, into the Unknown Regions...


Submission  
By: Zenith  
8/3/00  
Chapter III: Rendezvous  
  
Admiral Traest Kre'fey sat in the command chair of the MC-90 Cruiser Liberty, his  
large eyes closed, and his breathing pattern suggesting sleep. Captain Ryn Barrk of Bastion  
approached him cautiously. "Sir?"  
  
One eye flickered open, alert as ever. "Yes, Captain?"  
  
"Sir, the fleet is coming out of hyperspace in two minutes."  
  
"Thank you, Captain." Kre'fey stood up, moving his eyes slowly across the bridge,  
checking the work of each crew member.   
  
An impassive mechanical voice came out of a burst of static from the bridge comm  
station. "Fifteen seconds until reversion to realspace."  
  
Kre'fey stood calmly in place, his hands clasped behind the small of his back.   
"Lieutenant, pilots to standby. Charge all weapons, and prepare to deploy running sheilds."  
  
"Sir", the lieutenant confirmed. "Right away." He flicked several switches on his   
control panel, then spoke softly into a comm panel.  
  
The voice came again, impassive as ever. "Three... two...", Kre'fey braced himself,  
bending his knees, and preparing for the slight jolt of a ship coming out of hyperspace.  
"One." The mottled blue and black of hyperspace faded into starlines, and, almost   
immediately, those starlines faded into pinpricks.  
  
"Admiral Kre'fey, we have reached the rendezvous point", a captain stated the   
obvious, "Scanning for other ships now."  
  
Kre'fey sighed, he knew there would be no ships here, even he did not know the  
co-ordinates until they were sent to him, 5 minutes before the jump. They were observing  
a comm blackout anyway...  
  
"No ships on our scanners. Remainder of the fleet is coming out of hyperspace behind  
us." As if on the captain's words, the remainder of the Second fleet began to jump in behind  
the command ship: Other Cruisers, Ranger Gunboats, Nebulon B Frigates, Assult Frigates,  
Dreadnaughts, with an assortment of smaller ships.  
  
"How long until the Fifth fleet is due here, Captain?", Kre'fey addressed Captain  
Barrk. "And how long until we are joined by the Remnant forces and Fel's Clawcraft?"  
  
The Captain of the ship glanced at his display before answering. "Fifteen minutes  
until Fifth fleet reversion, Thirty to Remnant reversion, and Thirty to clawcraft  
reversion."  
  
Kre'fey nodded. "Thank you, Captain." Kre'fey looked out at the stars, mentally   
calculating approxamitely where the Fifth fleet would exit hyperspace. His command ship  
would be in that fleet, an Impstar Deuce, upgraded and refitted recently at the Kuat   
shipyards.  
  
The remainder of the time passed uneventfully. Fifteen minutes later, ships began  
appearing astern of the Liberty, the same sorts of ships that were in the Second fleet,  
except there were several Star Destroyers in the Fifth fleet.  
  
"Lieutenant Commander Arth", Kre'fey addressed the flight control officer. "Ready  
a shuttle. I will be departing to the Protector in five minutes."  
  
The Lieutenant Commander nodded. "Yes, sir. Right away." He tapped several commands   
on his control console, and then nodded. "They will be ready in three minutes."  
  
Kre'fey nodded to Lieutenant Commander Arth, smiling, causing his sharp teeth to   
glint dully in the bridge lights. "Tell them I will be down in three." With that, Kre'fey   
began to walk off the bridge, his muscles rippling his fur underneath his uniform.  
  
  
  
  
"Admiral Pellaeon, five seconds to reversion." An Imperial bridge officer addressed  
the leader of all Imperial forces.  
  
"Thank you, Captain", Pellaeon said sharply, walking swiftly towards his command   
chair. Moments later, he took a seat just as the Imperial Star Destroyer Chimaera reverted  
to realspace.  
  
"Admiral Pellaeon, it appears the New Republic strike force is formed up. There is   
a position for us to pull in on heading...", a lieutenant called out a string of numbers.  
"Range four hundred clicks. Orders?"  
  
Pellaeon nodded. "Pull in there, then make contact with...", he glanced at a  
display, one identifying New Republic ships. "The Protector."  
  
The Lieutenant nodded wordlessly, and got to the task of pulling the ship in, as  
the Captain at communications tapped in the encoded frequency they were given. Pellaeon   
sighed. The treaty between the Empire and New Republic had left room for them to work for   
a greater good together, now whenever one had a mission that was dangerous enough, the other  
was almost certain to join, since the battle at Ithor. The only end Pellaeon could see to  
this pattern was the Imperial Remnant petitioning for admission to the New Republic, and   
becoming independent and proud, like the Corellian sector. This, of course, was far off.   
There were many survivors of the Galactic Civil War, and they resented the 'Rebellion'.  
  
The comm crackled. "Admiral Pellaeon?", a husky Bothan voice permeated the air.  
  
"Here, Admiral Kre'fey.", Pellaeon responded after a second.  
  
"Ah, so glad to see you. I see you are manuvering towards the rendezvous point with  
the fleet. Please stand by while I send you the co-ordinates of our next jump.", Kre'fey  
said quickly.  
  
"Stand by, communications.", Pellaeon nodded over towards an older officer, perhaps  
one that had survived the Galactic Civil War, a conclusion supported by the fact that he had  
a very sour expression on his face, as if he had just drank bad Blue Milk. In most people's  
opinion, ALL Blue Milk was bad.  
  
"Yes sir.", he muttered grudgingly, muttering something about allying with the   
Rebellion.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Admiral Kre'fey, the fleet is assembled. Shall I start the countdown?", Captain  
Mikk Devin said in his gentle voice.  
  
"Yes, Captain.", Kre'fey responded, not taking his eyes off the space before the  
angular Imperial Star Destroyer II.  
  
The impassive voice, slightly deeper on this ship, blared out of the bridge   
speakers. "Countdown initiated. Jump to hyperspace in one minute."  
  
Kre'fey closed his eyes, and listened to the further warnings every fifteen seconds.  
As it reached five, the voice began to count. "Five, Four, Three, Two, One."  
  
Kre'fey opened his eyes. "Jump." 


End file.
